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Going green is no longer jus a fad or trend de jour but a proactive drive by retailers that benefits their bottom line.

Pick n Pay announced on Wednesday that it would be phasing out climate-damaging refrigerants and halt deforestation practices, in line with initiatives set out by the global Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), of which it is a member.

Refrigeration plays a vital role in the retail and consumer industry, delivering products to consumers every day, but is also a significant and growing source of greenhouse gases.

The CGF in 2010 agreed to begin phasing out hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants as of 2015 and replace them with non-HFC refrigerants.

HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide.

In 2009, Pick n Pay began replacing hydrochlorofluorocarbon-based (HCFC- based) refrigeration with energy-efficient German refrigeration technology. The new refrigeration is being trialled in its Strand store in the Western Cape and Randpark Ridge store in Gauteng.

"The challenge in coming years will be to firmly establish natural refrigerant technology to substitute HCFCs in air-conditioning and commercial applications," it said.

"We're not just doing this to get a warm fuzzy feeling; these key initiatives are saving the business money. We've seen particular savings around energy management," said Bronwen Rohland, Pick n Pay's marketing director, recently.

She added that customers were increasingly demanding that companies act and behave responsibly.

Pick n Pay signalled a new era in green retailing with the opening of its flagship store, "Pick n Pay on Nicol", in Hurlingham last year.

This is the third Pick n Pay store to incorporate a number of sustainable initiatives, including the use of natural refrigerants, solar panelling and timers to reduce energy required for geysers, in-store recycling and sustainable packaging.

The company also made waves with its 628 million rand 'green' distribution centre in Longmeadow, Gauteng, last year.

"Longmeadow is just another example of how Pick n Pay is operationalising sustainability within the company, and all of these goals have been incorporated into the design, construction and operation of Longmeadow, making it one of the greenest facilities of its type in the world," said Rohland.

Also on Wednesday, in line with its "Good Business Journey", Woolworths (WHL) announced that it would embark on an eight-day expedition up Kilimanjaro to help raise awareness for climate change, global warming and the effect that melting ice glaciers is having on coffee farmers in Tanzania - the very farmers who grow the organic coffee Woolworths sells in its cafes around SA.

Last year, the group introduced a technology system called ecoFridge refrigeration for perishable goods during transport.

EcoFridge is a nitrogen-based, silent-running, emission-free refrigeration system that offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional diesel fridge units and helps eliminate CO2 emissions and noise pollution.

Like Pick n Pay's flagship store, Woolworth's 1,200 sq. m store at Palmyra Junction in Claremont has significant "green" features, including automatic doors for more efficient climate control, ozone-friendly natural gas refrigeration, natural lighting and energy-efficient LED lighting. The store also recycles waste heat from refrigeration to use it for underfloor heating.

According to Ed Gluckman, managing director of Global Carbon Exchange, a carbon and energy management company based in Cape Town, the consumer is a very powerful force.

"There definitely is a trend from a retail perspective where consumers are putting pressure on big supermarkets and retailers regarding climate change and the environment. Woolworths, which is one of the companies that we work with, receives many incoming requests about their packaging and the use of local products," Gluckman told I-Net Bridge/BusinessLive on Wednesday.

Other retailers that Global Carbon Exchange works with include Clicks (CLS), Massmart (MSM) and Mr Price (MPC).

Gluckman said that, in optimising their supply chains, companies could make money.

"Less emissions equal less costs. When companies focus on decreasing their emissions, they're decreasing their operating expenses," he said.

Internationally, retailers like Carrefour and Tesco have signed up to a voluntary code of conduct seeking to reduce their environmental footprint on issues ranging from energy use to the sustainable sourcing of fish and timber, while Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencer and Kohl's have also adopted a "green" attitude, including eco-friendly and green-practice initiatives in their daily operations.

Gluckman said that global giant Wal-Mart had shown that, through efficiencies, companies can reduce emissions and increase productivity significantly.